Information processing apparatus, information processing method, and non-transitory computer readable medium

ABSTRACT

An information processing apparatus includes an extraction unit and a generation unit. The extraction unit extracts a common topic from profiles of plural users. The generation unit generates a community including users who are associated with the topic extracted by the extraction unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.15/331,279, filed Oct. 21, 2016, which in turn is based on and claimspriority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No.2016-122198, filed Jun. 21, 2016.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus, aninformation processing method, and a non-transitory computer readablemedium.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided aninformation processing apparatus including an extraction unit and ageneration unit. The extraction unit extracts a common topic fromprofiles of plural users. The generation unit generates a communityincluding users who are associated with the topic extracted by theextraction unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described indetail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a conceptual module configuration diagram of an example of aconfiguration according to an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a systemconfiguration using an exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process according toan exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process according toan exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a datastructure of a user profile table;

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a datastructure of a keyword and weighting table;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a processaccording to an exemplary embodiment;

and

FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a hardwareconfiguration of a computer which implements an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual module configuration diagram illustrating anexample of a configuration according to an exemplary embodiment.

In general, the term “module” refers to a component such as software (acomputer program), hardware, or the like, which may be logicallyseparated. Therefore, a module in an exemplary embodiment refers notonly to a module in a computer program but also to a module in ahardware configuration. Accordingly, through an exemplary embodiment, acomputer program for causing the component to function as a module (aprogram for causing a computer to perform each step, a program forcausing a computer to function as each unit, and a program for causing acomputer to perform each function), a system, and a method aredescribed. However, for convenience of description, the terms “store”,“cause something to store”, and other equivalent expressions will beused. When an exemplary embodiment relates to a computer program, theterms and expressions represent “causing a storing unit to store”, or“controlling a storing unit to store”. A module and a function may beassociated on a one-to-one basis. In the actual implementation, however,one module may be implemented by one program, multiple modules may beimplemented by one program, or one module may be implemented by multipleprograms. Furthermore, multiple modules may be executed by one computer,or one module may be executed by multiple computers in a distributedcomputer environment or a parallel computer environment. Moreover, amodule may include another module. In addition, hereinafter, the term“connection” may refer to logical connection (such as data transfer,instruction, and cross-reference relationship between data) as well asphysical connection. The term “being predetermined” represents being setprior to target processing being performed. “Being predetermined”represents not only being set prior to processing in an exemplaryembodiment but also being set even after the processing in the exemplaryembodiment has started, in accordance with the condition and state atthat time or in accordance with the condition and state during a periodup to that time, as long as being set prior to the target processingbeing performed. When there are plural “predetermined values”, thevalues may be different from one another, or two or more values(obviously, including all the values) may be the same. The term “in thecase of A, B is performed” represents “a determination as to whether itis A or not is performed, and when it is determined to be A, B isperformed”, unless the determination of whether it is A or not is notrequired.

Moreover, a “system” or an “apparatus” may be implemented not only bymultiple computers, hardware, apparatuses, or the like connected througha communication unit such as a network (including a one-to-onecommunication connection), but also by a single computer, hardware,apparatus, or the like. The terms “apparatus” and “system” are used assynonymous terms. Obviously, the term “system” does not include social“mechanisms” (social system), which are only artificially arranged.

Furthermore, for each process in a module or for individual processes ina module performing plural processes, target information is read from astoring unit and a processing result is written to the storing unitafter the process is performed. Therefore, the description of readingfrom the storing unit before the process is performed or the descriptionof writing to the storing unit after the process is performed may beomitted. The storing unit may be a hard disk, a random access memory(RAM), an external storage medium, a storing unit using a communicationline, a register within a central processing unit (CPU), or the like.

An information processing apparatus 100 according to an exemplaryembodiment generates a community. The information processing apparatus100 includes, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a profile information managementmodule 110, a profile collection and update module 120, a topicextraction module 130, a community generation and update module 140, acommunity information management module 150, and a community use module160.

A community is a group of plural users and is formed on a computer forthe purpose of communication with other users. For example, a group in abulletin board system (BBS) or a social network service (SNS) or thelike corresponds to a community.

The profile collection and update module 120 is connected to the profileinformation management module 110. The profile collection and updatemodule 120 collects a profile of a user (for example, may also bereferred to as personal information), and registers the profile with theprofile information management module 110. Furthermore, the profilecollection and update module 120 updates a profile registered with theprofile information management module 110.

A profile may be registered manually or an activity of a user may bemonitored and registered automatically. For example, a word used forgeneration of a document, a search word, or a word in a document browsedmay be extracted.

The profile information management module 110 is connected to theprofile collection and update module 120 and the topic extraction module130. The profile information management module 110 stores a profile of auser.

The profile may include static information of a user, which is fixedinformation, and dynamic information of the user, which is variableinformation.

The profile may include variable dynamic information of a user.

The profile may include fixed static information of a user.

Static information is, for example, information indicating personalattributes based on a long-term point of view, such as age, sex,background, literary work, qualification, department, group, and thelike. Dynamic information is, for example, information of what a user ishandling actively, such as a current interest, an assigned product, anassigned duty, a word used for generation of a document, and the like.The “current” may include the last several days, the last week, the lastmonth, or the like.

The topic extraction module 130 is connected to the profile informationmanagement module 110 and the community generation and update module140. The topic extraction module 130 extracts a common topic fromprofiles of plural users. Specifically, based on profiles managed at theprofile information management module 110, the topic extraction module130 extracts a common topic among plural users.

Furthermore, the topic extraction module 130 may extract a common topicby performing weighting of the appearance frequency of a word used instatic information and dynamic information. A weight of staticinformation may be different from a weight of dynamic information.

The topic extraction module 130 may extract a common topic according tothe appearance frequency of a word used in dynamic information.

The topic extraction module 130 may extract a common topic according tothe appearance information of a word used in static information.

The community generation and update module 140 is connected to the topicextraction module 130 and the community information management module150. The community generation and update module 140 generates acommunity including a user associated with a topic extracted by thetopic extraction module 130. Specifically, the community generation andupdate module 140 automatically generates a community including a user(associated user) associated with a topic extracted by the topicextraction module 130 as a member, and registers the community with thecommunity information management module 150. Upon generation of thecommunity, the member is notified of the generation of the community. Inthe case where a new associated user associated with an existing topicis extracted by the topic extraction module 130, the communitygeneration and update module 140 may update associated users of theexisting community and notify members of the community of the update.

The community generation and update module 140 may register a userbelonging to a community in such a manner that the user is disclosed asan anonymous user.

In the case where the amount of update of dynamic information is equalto or more than a predetermined threshold, the community generation andupdate module 140 may generate a community.

In the case where static information is updated, the communitygeneration and update module 140 may generate a community.

The community information management module 150 is connected to thecommunity generation and update module 140 and the community use module160. The community information management module 150 manages a communitygenerated by the community generation and update module 140. Thecommunity information management module 150 manages a disclosure targetof personal information of an associated user forming a community. Adisclosure target may be, for example, a name, a department, an emailaddress, and the like. At the time of generating a community,information which is able to identify an individual may not bedisclosed.

The community use module 160 is connected to the community informationmanagement module 150. The community use module 160 provides a way ofcommunication for a community managed at the community informationmanagement module 150. For example, a way of communication may beimplemented by using an existing technology such as a bulletin boardsystem for collaboration.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a systemconfiguration according to an exemplary embodiment.

The information processing apparatus 100, a user terminal 250A, a userterminal 250B, and a user terminal 250C are connected to one another viaa communication line 290. The communication line 290 may be a wirelesscommunication line, a wired communication line, or a combination ofwireless and wired communication lines. The communication line 290 maybe, for example, the Internet, an intranet, or the like as acommunication infrastructure. Furthermore, functions of the informationprocessing apparatus 100 may be implemented as a cloud service. The userterminals 250 may be desktop personal computers (PCs), notebook PCs,tablet terminals, portable terminals (including smartphones), or thelike. Each user performs registration of a profile or an operation for adocument or the like using the user terminal 250, and performsactivities (writing, reading, and the like of information) in acommunity generated by the information processing apparatus 100.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process according toan exemplary embodiment. The process illustrated in FIG. 3 is an exampleof a process for automatically generating a community based on a profileof a user.

In step S302, it is determined whether or not attributes (for example,keywords etc.) have been extracted from profiles of all the users. Inthe case where attributes have been extracted from profiles of all theusers, the process proceeds to step S306. In the case where attributeshave not been extracted from profiles of all the users, the processproceeds to step S304.

In step S304, information indicating attributes is extracted fromprofiles of individual users. Then, the process returns to step S302.That is, attributes of profiles of individual users are extracted fromthe profile information management module 110. The attributes to beextracted include, for example, a keyword.

In step S306, the information indicating the attributes of the profilesof all the users are ranked. For example, weighting is performed on theattributes extracted from the profiles of all the users, and theattributes are ranked according to the weights. For example, a logiclike term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF·IDF) is used forweighting (although TF·IDF itself is not used). In this example, akeyword indicating an attribute is represented by Term, and theappearance frequency of a Term in profiles of all the users isrepresented by TF. Furthermore, a profile of a user is regarded as aDocument, and the number of users for which the Term appears is regardedas DF. Accordingly, TF·IDF=TF/DF is calculated for individualattributes, and the attributes are ranked in descending order.

In step S308, top a attributes are selected from among the rankedattributes.

In step S310, users matching the selected attributes are extracted, anda community including the extracted users as members is automaticallygenerated. That is, users whose profiles include the top a attributes inthe ranking are extracted, and a community including the users asmembers is generated.

By executing the process illustrated as the flowchart of the example ofFIG. 3 in a repetitive manner at following timing, a community may begenerated:

Execute the process periodically (for every predetermined period);

Execute the process at an update time (immediately after update) of auser profile (static information); and

Execute the process when the amount of update of a user profile (dynamicinformation) is (equal to or) more than a predetermined threshold.

The amount of update and a threshold may include following patterns:

Case where X percent or more of all the users update their profiles;

Case where information of X percent or more of profiles of all the usersis updated; and

Case where the number of times profiles are updated exceeds thestatistical number of times a profile is updated per user,

where the statistical number of times update is performed may be theaverage value, median value, mode value, and the like of the number ofupdate times.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process according toan exemplary embodiment. The process illustrated in FIG. 4 is an exampleof a process for managing dynamic information as a user profile.

In step S402, activities of individual users are registered as dynamicinformation with the profile information management module 110. Forexample, an operation history of each user is collected. For example,operations for email transmission, document generation, documentregistration with various systems, message registration, and the likeare to be collected. A document content, a message, a sentence or akeyword extracted from the document content or message, and the like aremanaged as user profile information. The date and time (year, month,date, hour, minutes, seconds, units smaller than seconds, or acombination of the above) that the operation was performed may beregistered along with the activities.

In step S404, among dynamic information managed at the profileinformation management module 110, information which is older than acertain period of time (predetermined period of time) is deleted.Accordingly, only the up-to-date activity of each user is managed asdynamic information.

In the case where a community is automatically generated using dynamicinformation as a profile of a user, an operation described below isperformed.

In the process illustrated in FIG. 3, in step S304, attributes ofindividual users are extracted based on only dynamic information. In theother processing steps, the explanation provided for the flowchartillustrated in FIG. 3 is applied.

In the case where only dynamic information is used, a community of anup-to-date topic may be automatically generated.

Dynamic information changes with time. Therefore, it is appropriate toperform automatic generation of a community “when the amount of updateof user profile information exceeds a threshold” or “periodically”.

In the case where a community is automatically generated using staticinformation as a profile of a user, an operation described below isperformed.

In the process illustrated in FIG. 3, in step S304, attributes ofindividual users are extracted based on only static information. In theother processing steps, the explanation provided for the flowchartillustrated in FIG. 3 is applied.

In the case where only static information is used, a long-term communitysuch as an organization may be automatically generated.

Normally, there is less change in static information. Therefore, it isappropriate to perform automatic generation of a community “at an updatetime (immediately after update) of user profile information”.

In the case where a community is automatically generated using staticinformation and dynamic information as a profile of a user, an operationdescribed below is performed.

In the case where a combination of static information and dynamicinformation is used, there is less change in the static informationcompared to the dynamic information. Therefore, attributes extractedfrom the static information and the dynamic information need to be usedin such a manner that weighting is performed on the static information.For example, weighting of a keyword may be separately performed for thestatic information and the dynamic information. After normalization ofthe weights, merging may be performed.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a datastructure of a user profile table 500. The user profile table 500 isstored in the profile information management module 110 and is generatedby the profile collection and update module 120.

The user profile table 500 includes an identification (ID) field 505, aname field 510, an email field 515, a department field 520, a birthplacefield 525, a specialty field 530, a qualification field 535, an assignedproduct field 540, an assigned product change date and time field 545,an interest field 550, and an interest change date and time field 555.In the ID field 505, in an exemplary embodiment, information (ID) foruniquely identifying a user is stored. In the name field 510, the nameof the user is stored. In the email field 515, the email address of theuser is stored. In the department field 520, a department the userbelongs to is stored. In the birthplace field 525, the birthplace of theuser is stored. In the specialty field 530, a specialty of the user isstored. In the qualification field 535, a qualification that the userhas is stored. In the assigned product field 540, a product assigned tothe user is stored. In the assigned product change date and time field545, the date and time that the user is assigned with the product isstored. In the interest field 550, an interest of the user is stored. Inthe interest change date and time field 555, the date and time that theuser comes to have the interest is stored.

The profile collection and update module 120 collects information inaccordance with acquisition from personnel information or registrationof individuals, and generates the user profile table 500. In addition tothis, the profile collection and update module 120 may extract, based onan operation history of a user (an email, a document management system,an operation via a system such as a blog, and the contents thereof),information that the user accesses, and reflect the extractedinformation in the user profile table 500.

Furthermore, only a keyword extracted from collected information may beeventually stored in the user profile table 500. Alternatively, akeyword and the use frequency of the keyword may be stored. Furthermore,use date and time information of a keyword may also be stored.

Based on the collected information of the user profile table 500,weights of individual keywords are calculated, as illustrated in anexample of FIG. 6, and a characteristic keyword is extracted. The entireprofile may be used or only keywords used in the last certain period oftime may be used. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating anexample of a data structure of a keyword and weighting table 600. Thekeyword and weighting table 600 includes a keyword field 605, a DF field610, a TF field 615, and a TF·IDF field 620. In the keyword field 605, akeyword is stored. A set of keywords (multiple keywords) may be storedin the keyword field 605. A keyword may be extracted from the userprofile table 500. In the DF field 610, a DF is stored. As describedabove, a DF represents the number of users who use the keyword (thenumber of users who have the keyword in the user profile table 500). Inthe TF field 615, a term frequency (TF) is stored. As described above, aTF represents the appearance frequency of the keyword in profiles of allthe users (the number of appearance times of the keyword in the userprofile table 500). In the TF·IDF field 620, a TF-inverse documentfrequency (TF·IDF) is stored. As described above, a TF·IDF represents avalue obtained by dividing a value in the TF field 615 by a value in theDF field 610.

As described above, a keyword which has not been used for generating acommunity is extracted in descending order of weighted keywords, and isdefined as a theme (subject) of a community. Then, a user who isassociated with the keyword (specifically, a user whose user profiletable 500 includes the keyword) is extracted as a member of thecommunity. At this time, in the case where the corresponding keywordappears once or more in a profile of a user, the user is extracted as amember. Alternatively, a member may be set in descending order of usefrequency.

Furthermore, a weight of static information may be different from aweight of dynamic information. For example, the weight of staticinformation may be larger than the weight of dynamic information. Thisis because in general static information is often used only once in theuser profile table 500. In the case where a keyword in the keyword field605 of the keyword and weighting table 600 illustrated in the example ofFIG. 6 is static information, the value in the DF field 610 may bedecreased in a predetermined method. As the predetermined method, forexample, a predetermined value (a value larger than 0) may be subtractedfrom the value in the DF field 610 or the value in the DF field 610 maybe divided by a predetermined value (a value larger than 1). The valuein the TF field 615 may be increased in a predetermined method. As thepredetermined method, for example, a predetermined value (a value largerthan 0) may be added to the value in the TF field 615 or the value inthe TF field 615 may be multiplied by a predetermined value (a valuelarger than 1). In contrast, in the case where a keyword in the keywordfield 605 is dynamic information, the value in the DF field 610 may beincreased in a predetermined method. As the predetermined method, forexample, a predetermined value (a value larger than 0) may be added tothe value in the DF field 610 or the value in the DF field 610 may bemultiplied by a predetermined value (a value larger than 1). The valuein the TF field 615 may be decreased in a predetermined method. As thepredetermined method, for example, a predetermined value (a value largerthan 0) may be subtracted from the value in the TF field 615 or thevalue in the TF field 615 may be divided by a predetermined value (avalue larger than 1).

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example of a processaccording to an exemplary embodiment. The diagram illustrated in FIG. 7is an example of a bulletin board of a community generated by collectingfour members for a theme “Olympics”.

In a bulletin board screen 700, a theme field 710, a member field 720,and a comment region 730 are displayed. In the theme field 710, a themeis indicated. In the member field 720, a member (user) of a community isindicated. In the comment region 730, exchange of information amongmembers is indicated. The theme indicated in the theme field 710 is akeyword which is ranked as a top keyword in the TF·IDF field 620 of thekeyword and weighting table 600. In the comment region 730, for example,as a comment of User-478, “I am examining projects for Tokyo Olympics in2020. Do you have any good ideas?” is indicated. As a comment ofUser-126 with respect to the comment of User-478, “With portableterminal application capable of □, □ is able to access information of □at each site.” is indicated. As a comment of User-867, “□ may also be agood idea!?” is indicated.

Member information in the member field 720 may be the photograph of aface, a name, an ID, or the like for identifying an individual. However,an identifier (anonymizer) which is not able to identify a member may beassigned, without the photograph of a face, a name, an ID, or the likebeing made open to the public. Furthermore, a generated community and anidentifier within the community may be informed only to each member, andmay not be disclosed to other members. Communication of true feelingsmay become active by non-disclosure. Furthermore, in an exemplaryembodiment, a user automatically becomes a member of a community, andtherefore, becoming the member may be against the intention of the user.

Obviously, in accordance with a user operation, the photograph of aface, a name, an ID, or the like may be made open to the public.

In accordance with a user operation, leaving or entering anautomatically generated community may be permitted for a member. Throughan introduction or the like, more appropriate members may form acommunity.

Furthermore, an automatically generated community may be automaticallyarchived or deleted. For example, when a community has had a role forinformation sharing for a certain period of time or when the communityis changed from an activated state to an inactivated state, thecommunity may be archived or deleted. Accordingly, unnecessarycommunities may be prevented from existing.

An archived community and sharing information of the community may bereproducible. For example, in the case where attributes used forgenerating a community are similar to each other, when a new communityis generated, (discussed contents in) an archived community may bereferred to. Accordingly, past knowledge may be reused.

A hardware configuration of a computer which executes a programaccording to an exemplary embodiment is, as illustrated in FIG. 8, ageneral computer, and specifically, a computer or the like which mayserve as a personal computer or a server. That is, as a specificexample, a CPU 801 is used as a processing unit (arithmetic unit), and aRAM 802, a read only memory (ROM) 803, and a hard disk (HD) 804 are usedas a storing unit. For example, a hard disk or a solid state drive (SSD)may be used as the HD 804. The hardware configuration includes the CPU801 which executes a program such as the profile collection and updatemodule 120, the topic extraction module 130, the community generationand update module 140, the community use module 160, and the like, theRAM 802 which stores the program and data, the ROM 803 which stores aprogram or the like for activating the computer, the HD 804, which is anauxiliary storing unit (may be a flash memory or the like) whichincludes functions as the profile information management module 110 andthe community information management module 150, a reception device 806which receives data in accordance with an operation performed by a userto a keyboard, a mouse, a touch screen, a microphone, or the like, anoutput device 805 such as a cathode ray tube (CRT), a liquid crystaldisplay, or a speaker, a communication line interface 807 for allowingconnection with a communication network such as a network interfacecard, and a bus 808 for allowing data exchange among the above units.Multiple computers having the above configuration may be connected toone another via a network.

The foregoing exemplary embodiment that relates to a computer program isimplemented by causing a system of the above hardware configuration toread the computer program, which is software, in cooperation of softwareand hardware resources.

The hardware configuration illustrated in FIG. 8 illustrates aconfiguration example. An exemplary embodiment is not limited to theconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 8 as long as a configuration which mayexecute modules explained in the exemplary embodiment is provided. Forexample, part of the modules may be configured as dedicated hardware(for example, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or thelike), part of the modules may be arranged in an external system in sucha manner that they are connected via a communication line, or the systemillustrated in FIG. 8 which is provided in plural may be connected via acommunication line in such a manner that they operate in cooperation.Furthermore, in particular, part of the modules may be incorporated in apersonal computer, a portable information communication device(including a mobile phone, a smart phone, a mobile device, and awearable computer), an information electronic appliance, a robot, acopying machine, a facsimile machine, a scanner, a printer, or amultifunction apparatus (an image processing apparatus having two ormore functions of a scanner, a printer, a copying machine, a facsimilemachine, and the like).

Regarding comparison processing in the above description of theforegoing exemplary embodiment, those referred to as “not less than”,“not more than”, “larger than”, or “smaller (less) than” may also bereferred to as “larger than”, “smaller (less) than”, “not less than”, or“not more than”, respectively, unless no contradiction arises incombinations thereof.

The programs described above may be stored in a recording medium andprovided or may be supplied through communication. In this case, forexample, the program described above may be considered as an inventionof “a computer-readable recording medium which records a program”.

“A computer-readable recording medium which records a program”represents a computer-readable recording medium which records a programto be used for installation, execution, and distribution of the program.

A recording medium is, for example, a digital versatile disc (DVD),including “a DVD-R, a DVD-RW, a DVD-RAM, etc.”, which are the standardsset by a DVD forum, and “a DVD+R, a DVD+RW, etc.”, which are thestandards set by a DVD+RW, a compact disc (CD), including a read-onlymemory (CD-ROM), a CD recordable (CD-R), a CD rewritable (CD-RW), etc.,a Blu-ray™ Disc, a magneto-optical disk (MO), a flexible disk (FD), amagnetic tape, a hard disk, a ROM, an electrically erasable programmableread-only memory (EEPROM™), a flash memory, a RAM, a secure digital (SD)memory card, or the like.

The entire or part of the above-mentioned program may be recorded in theabove recording medium, to be stored and distributed. Furthermore, theprogram may be transmitted through communication, for example, a wirednetwork or a wireless communication network used for a local areanetwork (LAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), a wide area network(WAN), the Internet, an intranet, an extranet, or the like, or atransmission medium of a combination of the above networks.Alternatively, the program or a part of the program may be delivered bycarrier waves.

The above-mentioned program may be the entire or part of another programor may be recorded in a recording medium along with a separate program.Further, the program may be divided into multiple recording media andrecorded. The program may be recorded in any format, such as compressionor encryption, as long as the program may be reproduced.

The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention has been provided for the purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modificationsand variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, therebyenabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited tothe particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of theinvention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information processing apparatus comprising: aprocessor configured to: generate a group including a plurality ofusers; and delete the group if the group is changed from an activatedstate to an inactivated state.
 2. An information processing apparatuscomprising: a processor configured to: generate a group including aplurality of users; and archive the group if the group is changed froman activated state to an inactivated state.
 3. The informationprocessing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the processor isfurther configured to: delete the group if the group is changed from anactivated state to an inactivated state.